


Charity

by kakumei



Series: Manufacture to Destroy [2]
Category: Dragon Age
Genre: F/M, Ficlet, Fluff, Romance, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-01
Updated: 2012-01-01
Packaged: 2017-11-04 11:03:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/393115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kakumei/pseuds/kakumei
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alistair borrows something from Nida that he comes to regret later, as the evening progresses.</p><p>*formerly titled 'Just Take It'*</p>
            </blockquote>





	Charity

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first ficlet that I've written in YEARS, so be kind. Reviews would be awesome! I'd like to improve in my writing :) 
> 
> Thanks to brennacedria from Tumblr for beta'ing this story, and thanks to YOU for reading!

“Nida? Can I ask you for something?”

He heard her mutter something low under her breath, most likely a snide comment on his carelessness. Great - he had already annoyed her, and it wasn't as if the next question that was going to pop out of his mouth was going to impress her any more than the last one.

Nida poked out her head from tent, removing the thick, leather flap covering its entrance. Her long, fair hair hung loose over her shoulders, her bangs falling partly over the chagrined look that she wore on her face. After all they had been through those past several months, Alistair was all too familiar with that look.

“Can I help you, Alistair?” 

She was agitated, he realized, but the tone in her voice suggested that she was still genuinely concerned for his well-being.

“It's just... my blanket's wet from the rain,” Alistair complained.

She immediately let out a groan of frustration. “Didn't I tell you to pack your things decently before we left? I told you that there was going to be a rainstorm before we traveled this morning. Why don't you ever listen to me?

Indeed. Nida had definitely yelled at him – twice actually – before they departed from Redcliffe to make sure he didn't pack his blanket at the top of his pack as was his usual habit, but he had decided not to listen because he objected strongly with the idea of having to re-empty his pack and sort through his valuables again. Alistair could only look back at her apologetically, and he sincerely hoped that his sad, hazel eyes still had some magic left in them to win her over again.

“Do you have a spare, at least? I promise I won't bother you over this again.” Alistair figured that his usual pout would have been overkill at this point. 

Nida had rolled her eyes but she then turned around to rummage into her own pack, having been convinced by his juvenile, saccharine plea. He waited for a moment, crouched in front of her tent as Nida searched through her cozy living space; he watched as she briefly tossed the bulk of her golden hair over her shoulder, and noticed that he had been staring at the soft, pale curve of her neck for quite an indecent amount of time. There was a slight freckle under her neckline, in a position where he couldn't help but wonder how she would react if someone kissed her there lightly, maybe with a little bit of tongue...

“Here.”

Alistair almost lost his balance on his heels when Nida's voice interrupted his impure thoughts. He felt rather ashamed to discover that she was offering him the blanket that she had draped over her bedroll, and rather adamantly.

“Don't fuss, shem, and just take it.” 

Nida waved the blanket towards him, and her body language made it clear that she wasn't going to accept a refusal. Alistair took the rich, cotton blanket from her hands; while he reveled in her unyielding generosity, he was crushed by the guilt he felt for being so inconvenient to her. By her side, Alistair couldn't help but feel like a small child. He knew that his situation wasn't entirely all her fault; perhaps if he actually tried taking some of the burden of responsibility off her shoulders once in a while and got over his cowardice, perhaps she'd smile at him more often. Maker knows it wouldn't be so terrible if he tried helping out every now and then.

“I'm... I'm sorry. Thank you. R-Really. I appreciate this.”

Her temper had not completely disappeared, but the way she touched his broad, strong shoulder suggested that she was now feeling much more amiable than usual.

“You should go get some rest. It's been a long day.”

After her peace offering, Nida retreated back into her tent and covered the entrance behind her. Even when she was being compassionate Nida was always quick to conceal her vulnerability, Alistair had come to realize. The side effects of being a leader, he guessed.

 

\---

He had drifted off to sleep not more than three hours earlier, but Alistair had found his sleep immediately and unpleasantly disturbed. The weather had stirred up again, and now the foundations of his tent was swaying and shaking in the violent gusts of wind howling through their forest dwelling. Alistair shivered uncontrollably, he could feel the cold air seep under the bottom edges of his tent. Intuitively, he drew the blanket that he had borrowed over his chest for warmth, thankful that the blanket he borrowed was so well tailored and useful. 

The blanket that he had borrowed, he suddenly remembered.

Alistair directly sat up and pulled his linen tunic over his head. Oh Maker, he was such an ass! The wind was ripping through the entire campsite, but it was hardly problematic for him to step out of his tent and endure the windchill for a while if it meant him saving some dignity for once. Well, at least what dignity he had left considering the sight he must be now, walking out barefoot in his small clothes in the middle of the night.

He intruded into her tent as quietly as possible, but he doubted that he was disturbing much of her sleep considering how freezing the weather had become. She had curled up over her bedroll, her thighs pressed against her chest and her cheek resting upon her forearm. It was most likely that she was aware of his presence, but Nida only stirred when Alistair rested the blanket over her slim, huddled form.

“What are you doing?” Her voice was a faint, timid whisper, but she never failed in showing her disapproval.

“It's cold” Alistair imitated her stern, stoic voice, although the smug grin on his face was less than her usual grace. “... Don't fuss, Nida, and just take it.” 

He was careful to cover up her body completely, going so far as to tuck a stray corner of the blanket under the bottom of her knee. She took her opportunity when his hand brushed her side and took a hold of his wrist. Alistair was afraid that she was threatening him on account of his impropriety, but his worries faded when her skilled, slender hands gave his arm a gentle squeeze.

“You didn't have to do that... but thanks.”

Alistair smiled at her affectionately. “I think I rather did have to do it. It wouldn't be much fun to hopelessly wander along the darkspawn-infested roads without our fearless leader. Anyway, I figure I have to do something around here more often.”

“That includes invading my personal privacy, I take it?” she teased, but not in harshness.

“I would have knocked if there was a door,” he joked. 

She had laughed, but they were quiet for a while. She was still holding him in their silence, although she had broken eye contact with him and had averted her gaze into the darkness of the night. He could tell by her touch that heat was returning to her body; her hand had been ice cold when she first held him. By the way things were awkwardly progressing, Alistair figured that it was time for him to leave and lightly plied her hand from his wrist. “I should go to bed,” he suggested.

“You're going to be cold.” 

Alistair figured, even through the dark, that she was frowning. “I'll be fine,” he assured her.

“If you say so. You better not make me walk into your tent,” Nida warned.

“I wouldn't mind that,” Alistair veiled the slyness in his voice. She had decided not to respond, so Alistair stayed true to his word and left her tent as noiselessly as he came. 

Whatever was still keeping him up that night, it was definitely not the windstorm.


End file.
